One Basin With Many Solutions

Farmers, ranchers and ag retailers lead the charge for clean water

The Mississippi River Basin, encompassing 31 states and draining over 40% of the continental U.S.¹ , is a vital artery for agriculture and commerce. However, nutrient runoff from agricultural activities, primarily nitrogen and phosphorus, has led to significant water quality challenges, including the infamous dead zone in the Gulf of America. Farmers and ranchers across the basin are at the forefront of implementing solutions to mitigate these issues. Here are some ways agriculture is making a difference, state-by-state.

Illinois: Building soil health for cleaner water

In Illinois, with the support of organizations such as the Illinois Farm Bureau, the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership and the Illinois Nutrient Research & Education Council (NREC), farmers are adopting cover crops and strip-till systems to improve soil structure and water quality. Cover crops such as cereal rye prevent erosion and help absorb leftover nutrients, keeping them out of nearby waterways. Strip-till allows fertilizer to be placed precisely where needed, reducing waste and runoff while maintaining yields.

Statewide programs and regional partnerships are helping scale these practices across watersheds. Through conservation cost-share initiatives and technical support, farmers are proving that managing nutrients responsibly doesn't mean sacrificing profitability. These practices are helping protect rivers that feed into the Mississippi and, ultimately, the Gulf.

Iowa: Batch-and-build accelerates conservation

In Iowa, farmers are working together in batch-and-build projects that streamline the installation of edge-of-field practices such as bioreactors and saturated buffers. Rather than approaching projects field by field, these community-led efforts install multiple practices simultaneously, saving time and resources while expanding impact, thanks to work from organizations such as the Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance (IAWA).

This approach is making a measurable difference in reducing Gulf hypoxia. With the support of watershed coordinators, conservation districts and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Iowa farmers are proving that collaboration and innovation can move conservation from the margins to the mainstream.

Ohio: From field to stream, smarter stewardship

In Ohio, farmers use conservation innovations like two-stage ditches and restored wetlands to intercept runoff and reduce nutrient loss before water leaves the field. These systems slow water flow and trap excess nitrogen and phosphorus, preventing them from entering sensitive waterways. Strategically placed wetlands filter nutrients, recharge groundwater and provide wildlife habitats, delivering multiple environmental benefits from one practice.

These efforts are gaining traction thanks to coordinated programs such as the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Certification and the Ohio Agriculture Conservation Initiative (OACI), which helps benchmark and scale best practices. The H2Ohio program has provided financial incentives and technical support, helping thousands of producers adopt agronomically sound and water-smart practices. Together, Ohio’s farmers and partners are showing that proactive conservation can protect freshwater resources while supporting productive agriculture.

Missouri: Data-driven conservation

Working with the Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri farmers are leveraging edge-of-field monitoring to understand precisely how nutrients move through their operations. By capturing runoff at the field level, producers can analyze the effectiveness of different practices, such as cover crops or adjusted fertilizer timing, with empirical evidence rather than guesswork.

This data-driven approach empowers landowners to make precise, adaptive management decisions that improve both profitability and environmental performance. It’s also providing agencies with real-world data to support smarter conservation investments.

Kentucky: Precision and partnerships for water protection

In Kentucky, conservation begins with a plan. Through Kentucky’s Ag Water Quality Plans, producers are creating and implementing individualized plans for adopting best management practices (BMPs) — like rotational grazing, nutrient management and streamside buffers — to reduce erosion and protect water resources.

In places like the Clarks River Watershed, local landowners and conservation partners are translating these plans into real, visible change. Through support from NRCS and state-led initiatives, farmers in this region are restoring streambanks, planting cover crops and managing livestock access to waterways.

Arkansas: Rice farmers lead with irrigation innovation

The nation’s top rice-producing state, Arkansas, faces unique water quality challenges due to high water usage and nutrient runoff. Farmers in the Delta are addressing this head-on by adopting tailwater recovery systems, which capture and recycle irrigation water to reduce waste and nutrient loss. These systems allow fields to retain water longer, preventing sediment and phosphorus from entering nearby ditches and streams.

Additionally, rice farmers are using precision levees and alternate wetting and drying techniques, conserving water and decreasing nutrient leaching. Their efforts are contributing to better water quality outcomes while maintaining high yields.

Minnesota: Buffer strips and bioreactors make a difference

Farmers in southern Minnesota are leveraging edge-of-field technologies such as saturated buffers and bioreactors to intercept nutrients before they enter local streams. These practices, often installed alongside drainage tiles in corn and soybean fields, significantly reduce nitrate levels in runoff.

Working with NRCS and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts, farmers are also restoring native vegetation along waterways to provide a permanent buffer between fields and rivers. These living filters improve water quality, provide wildlife habitat and reduce flooding.

Mississippi: Smarter grazing for cleaner water

In Mississippi and other parts of the basin, farmers and ranchers are improving their herds’ impact on water quality with cross-fencing and rotational grazing. By dividing pastures into smaller sections and rotating herds regularly, grasses like Bahia and Bermuda have time to regrow, strengthening root systems and improving soil health. This practice helps reduce soil erosion, keeps ground cover intact and filters nutrients before they reach nearby creeks and streams.

Many of these improvements are made possible through support from the USDA’s NRCS, which offers technical assistance and cost-share opportunities through programs like the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI). As more producers adopt well-managed grazing systems, they’re improving forage productivity and playing a key role in protecting downstream water quality.

A shared responsibility with a growing impact

From the prairies of Minnesota to the rice fields of Arkansas, farmers and ranchers across the Mississippi River Basin are demonstrating that clean water and productive agriculture are not mutually exclusive. Through innovative, science-backed practices such as cover cropping, rotational grazing, precision nutrient application and innovative drainage solutions, they're leading the way in reducing nutrient runoff and restoring the health of our waterways.

These efforts aren’t isolated success stories — they're part of a coordinated movement on farms across the country. With continued support from conservation programs, local partnerships and the agricultural retail community, the impact will only continue to grow. Clean water is everyone’s responsibility, and thanks to these producers, progress is not only possible —it’s already happening.

1 - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District. (n.d.). Mississippi drainage basin. USACE. https://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/Missions/Mississippi-River-Flood-Control/Mississippi-River-Tributaries/Mississippi-Drainage-Basin/

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